FOLLOW THE READER: MUIR TRAIL RANCH ABOVE IT ALL AT 7,600 FEET

Published
4:00 am PDT, Sunday, September 14, 2003

We spent a relaxing and unique week last summer in the High Sierra -- without backpacking.

The Muir Trail Ranch, located at 7,600 feet elevation, rents mostly to groups for a week at a time. The 200-acre ranch has log cabins with indoor plumbing, a ranch house and kitchen. Two very private hot springs are surrounded by wildflowers and views of the Sierra. Every day offers horseback riding, fishing and hiking on the John Muir Trail.

The ranch, homesteaded more than a century ago, has a fascinating history from the Gold Rush through the creation of the Muir Trail and has been featured in National Geographic magazine.

Muir Trail Ranch is open June through September. Weekly cost is $8,925 for up to 15 guests, and $595 for each additional guest (reduced rates for children and teens). Horses are $60 per day. The eight log cabins each sleep up to three adults, and there are many tent cabins. Short stays, available at the beginning and end of the season, are $125 a night, single occupancy, or $115 per person for log cabins. Single-occupancy tent cabins are $115.